Serena Who?
by Sev4Lily5426
Summary: Serena Weber lives in America and her life is perfect. What happens when she wakes up one day with pale skin, straight black hair, and vibrant green eyes. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Nightmares

**So, I redid a lot of my previous writing. I hope that this explains a little more the kind of character Serena is and how she got where she is. I am completely open to new ideas, so review and tell me what things I could change or what you want to see happen later in the story. I also want to thank those of you who have already reviewed. You gave me amazing ideas. Thanks sooooo much!**

_"Lily," He ran after her out into the cold night,"Come back. I love you. Lily"_

_He looked frantically around the snowy sidewalk, but she was no where in sight. All his pain quickly turned to anger as he remembered what she had told him before walking out._

_She was pregnant. Pregnant, with his baby, not the arrogant, prideful, swine of a man, James Potter, but him, Severus Snape, and she didn't want the baby to know that. How could she come in tell him she was pregnant then run away? She didn't want him to look for her or the baby. Why? Didn't she know how much he loves her? She couldn't just take away his baby, could she?_

_Not wanting to think anymore, He sat down on the nearest bench and put his head in his hands. The truth was she was scared of him. She knew he was a Death Eater and she didn't know what he would tell the Dark Lord about her or the baby. _

_Becoming a Death Eater, he knew now, was the biggest mistake he had ever made. He wasn't one anymore though, he was a spy, but Lily didn't know that. She had been mad at James one day and gotten drunk. He had found her and taken her to his home at Spinner's End. There, things had gone from bad to worse and now she was pregnant._

_He stood up and looked once more up and down the street and then apparated home._

Severus Snape woke up suddenly and gazed at the ceiling. He missed her so much. He could always see her bright green eyes and vibrant red hair in the back of his mind. He had not seen her alive since that day. He didn't even know if she went through with the birth of that baby. He didn't even know how far along she was when she told him. Their little affair wasn't good for her and she knew it, so he concluded that she had gotten an abortion. Even if, by some miniscule chance that she went through with the birth, James would have noticed it wasn't his. James was always devotedly loyal to her and she wouldn't have been able to see the hurt in his eyes with out breaking herself up.

Somewhere in his heart he did wonder what his life would've been like if she did have the baby. Would they be like a family? Or would she forbid him from seeing his child? He didn't want to think about it.

Slowly, he turned his head and saw that the clock read 8:45. Crap, he was late for the beginning of the school year staff meeting. He had never liked those meetings, but if he didn't show up Minerva would probably hunt him down and then kill him for not performing his teaching duties. That woman was to hardworking and responsible for her own good.

Grumbling, he got out of bed, quickly got dressed and started walking toward Dumbledore's office. He was in no way looking forward to another year of teaching dunderheads, such as Weasley and Longbottom. Not to mention Potter, whose very appearance had him mentally trying to keep himself from committing suicide. At first he thought that perhaps Harry was his, but with one look at him he realized Harry was James', no questions asked.

When he reached the gargoyle, he muttered the password and walked in. To nobody's surprise, he was the last one there.

"Now that everybody has arrived let us begin," Dumbledore said. He sat down and started listing the names of new first years. Severus wasn't paying attention at all. His dream was haunting him. He hadn't had it in over 2 years and it's sudden return unnerved him. Lily's eyes were driving him crazy. Everywhere he looked he would see bright flashes of green. He missed her so much. The pain was slowly eating away at him until there would be nothing left. Suddenly, he was woken up from his day dream.

"Severus, what do you think?" asked a very concerned Dumbledore.

"Sorry, Albus. What was the question?" Severus replied looking up at him for the first time since the meeting started.

"Regarding our new 3rd year, Serena. Would you be willing to give her extra potions lessons to catch her up with the rest of the 3rd years?"

"No. Why would I teach a girl who doesn't care enough about her studies to come to the first two years of school?" he sneered

"Severus, have you not been listening?" remarked an impatient and upset Minerva.

"Serena has just been located. She has been on the list for this school since birth, but was adopted by a muggle family in America. Because of this, her magic was harder to pinpoint. Her parents are being notified of the amount of years she has been behind, but I am sure they will not hold her back." Dumbledore stated quite calmly and stared at Severus.

"Fine," huffed Snape, although he felt that it was anything, but fine.

"Now that that is agreed, we have one more matter to discuss," he began staring at each of them in turn, " you are all aware of the Azkaban escapee Sirius Black and the measures that the Ministry is willing to go to to find him."

"Yes, Albus, of course we all know, but what has this got to do with the students?" Minerva was looking at him curiously.

"I have reluctantly agreed that this school will play host to the Dementors," Dumbledore started to say, but was cut off by a gasp from many of the staff.

"Albus, certainly there is no need for that," said Remus Lupin standing up and away from the comfort of his corner.

"I'm afraid that the Ministry is absolutely set on it because of the fragile relationship Black has to Harry."

"Harry will not be hurt. No one can break into Hogwarts," said an overconfident Minerva.

"I believe that you are right, Minerva. The Ministry, however does not see eye to eye with me on the subject. I would like all of you to watch the students and make sure they are safe," Said Albus again looking at all their eyes for a hint of disloyalty.

"Now that that is taken care of, you are all dismissed," said Dumbledore, " Severus would you mind staying just a while longer?"

Severus, seeing no way out of his predicament, mumbled a "yes" and sat back down as all of his colleagues left the room.

"Severus, my boy, I was wondering if you would take on the responsibility of escorting Serena from her house in America to Diagon Alley, by portkey, of course," said Dumbledore with a mysterious twinkling in his eyes.

"What?" he about screamed,"Couldn't you get Minerva or even Hagrid, but not me." Dumbledore chuckled.

"Severus, everyone else is busy and you have always said you wanted to see America," he said , and then continued," Hagrid will be meeting her at the entrance. You must only get her there." Dumbledore stated again with the weird twinkling in his eyes. It was always there, the twinkling, but Severus saw more of it this time.

"What are you up to, Albus?" Severus started, "No child wants to be escorted anywhere by me."

"Severus, why do I always have to be up to something to ask a favor of you?"

"Because whenever you ask a favor you usually have ulterior motives, especially with this," Severus stated matter-of-factly.

"Just do it, Severus. For me, please," Dumbledore looked expectantly at him for several moments before he finally cracked.

"Fine, Albus, but no one else knows," Severus warned halfheartedly. He knew Albus wouldn't tell. He was an extraordinary secret-keeper.

"Thank you, Severus You will pick her up in front of this address on August 30 at noon," said Dumbledore scribbling the address on a piece of parchment and handing it to Severus.

Great, was Severus' sarcastic comment to himself when he sat back down on his bed intending fully to take a well needed nap, but dreamless sleep never came.

_He had just apparated to the dingy little bar off of Spinner's End. He was meeting Lily again. He loved her so much. Tonight was going to be perfect. He was ready finally to ask her to leave James. They would be together and happy._

_Slowly, but deliberately, he walked in and, not seeing Lily anywhere sat down to wait for her. The minutes felt like hours. He would check his watch every now and then, while staring at the door. _

_Finally an hour had past since the time she was going to get there. He was angry. Why had she stood him up? He was just about to stand when she walked in the door. She wasn't wearing any make-up and her hair was put up in a messy pony tail, but to him she looked absolutely breathtaking._

_She sat down and he noticed tear stains on her face._

_" Lily, what's wrong?" he asked. She didn't look at him, but just shook her head. He moved to get closer to her, but she moved away. He didn't know what was happening._

_After, many minutes of her just staring at the ground she finally looked up at him. Her brilliant green eyes looked red and puffy._

_"Severus," she choked through her tears," I'm pregnant. It's yours." She ran before he could process what had just happened._

_" Lily, come back. I love you." he said, as he ran out the door into the snowy street, but she was gone._

He woke up suddenly and fell off his bed. Why? Why did she leave? Oh, he missed her.

**Serena P.O.V. (two days later)**

Serena woke up to the light pounding of rain on her window. It called to her to run outside, so she did just that. Running outside in nothing but her light pajama pants and a light t-shirt, the rain instantly cooled her warm skin. She thought her arms looked paler than before, but she hypothesized that it was just the lack of proper sunlight. When the air became unbearably cold and the rain to wet to stand, she ran back inside.

It was now around eight o'clock and her mom was sleepily walking down the stairs to make her birthday breakfast.

"Hey mom!" she said, jumping out at her mother from behind the wall.

Her mother screamed at the sight of her and froze with a look of terror on her face.

"Mom, it was just a joke. Don't wet yourself," she said laughing and turning to walk up the stairs. She turned her head back just in time to see her mother wipe away a tear and speedily walk to the kitchen.

She briskly ran upstairs and quickly and silently changed. When she was all dressed, she stopped to check herself in the mirror. She gasped at what she saw. Instead of a blond haired, blue eyed girl staring back at her there were vibrant green eyes staring at her. She also now had black hair and pale skin. Her figure had slimed out a little and she was taller. This troubled her to no end. She new her parents knew because her mother had known when she walked in in the morning. She wasted no time in opening the door and racing down the stairs.

Running down two at a time, she halted as the sound of her mother crying and her fathers fearful voice reached her ears.

"Caradoc, we can't tell her do you know how much it will scare her," said her mother in a whisper ending in a tearful whimper. Serena had never heard her mother use this name for her father. In fact, she never had heard that name ever before. What or who was her mother talking to?

"We have to. Pretty soon Professor Dumbledore will be coming to take her to Hogwarts." replied her father pulling out a sort of stick. It was her dad that her mother had called Caradoc. She eagerly waited for more.

"Caradoc, put that away and focus. She deserves a normal childhood not one learning magic at a school in Scotland in the middle of a war where Dumbledore knows for sure He is coming back and going to chase after her and Harry."

"Lizzy, you need to listen to me. We swore to protect her when we took her in. Keeping her from Hogwarts is not protecting her, especially without a glamour."

"But we can't just let her go back to England by herself." said her mother turning to face her father, "Maybe it would be a good idea to go with her. To move back and rejoin the Order."

"You know we can't do that. Dumbledore pronounced us dead for everyone's safety. If we showed up out of the blue we and Serena would be in danger," he said looking in to his mother's eyes.

Serena chose this moment to walk in the door.


	2. Adopted

"So what's going on," she asked eyeing both her parents. A look of fear instantly came over both their faces. She didn't flinch, but her grimace became even more pronounced and her new black hair swirled in front of and around her face as a breeze from outside came in the windows.

A knock echoed from the door and her mother raced out of the kitchen to get it. Her father made to follow, but Serena stepped in front of him.

"You are staying until I get some answers," she whispered menacingly.

"Serena, this isn't the time," started her father.

"So when will it be the time? Am I supposed to go about my life never knowing I was adopted? Or knowing that who I thought my parents are are supposed to be dead? I want answers."

"And answers you shall get," said a soft, patient voice from behind her.

She turned to see a tall old man with silver and a silver beard. He had twinkling blue eyes that peered curiously from behind half-moon spectacles. He had a soft smile and a wise look to his aging face.

"I wonder if I might talk to Serena alone," he said addressing both her "parents"

"Of course," said her father and he glanced at her mother before they both left the room.

She turned to face the old man, staring into him, waiting for the answers he promised. He simply smiled back at her as his eyes twinkled mysteriously. They stood there for a while, just staring, waiting for the other to start the inevitable conversation.

"Well," said Dumbledore," how has your thirteenth birthday gone?" He acted as though she were an old friend he could engage in friendly conversation with.

"It doesn't matter," she said defiantly," now give me answers."

"You are so alike your father," he chuckled happily," but you definitely have your mother in you."

Her eyes relaxed a little at this, but her body did not relax.

"Please explain what is going on," she said still whispering venomously.

"Of course," he said and leaned against the counter," It is a long story. Your mother and father were friends as children. They grew up together. When they were eleven, they went to a school of Magic, Hogwarts. There there friendship blossomed and they grew up and had you. An evil wizard, by the name of Voldemort, went after your mother and killed her. You were sent here with a trusted married couple and friends of your mother. They were being hunted by Voldemort as well, so this was a protection for them and you. Currently Voldemort is not a threat and since your form of protection, a glamour charm, has lifted, making you look like you should, you are being given the oppurtunity to come to that same school your parents went to. There you will learn how to control and use your magic." he finished staring at her waiting for a reaction.

"You must be crazy. Wizards and Witches don't exist. Whatever kind of cruel trick this is, I want out of it."

"This isn't a trick, Serena."

"Well, can you prove it."

Instantly, the toaster on the counter started to float toward the ceiling and then burst into flames.

"What the heck," said Serena ducking behind her hands as the toaster fell back in its original spot with no harm done to it.

"Will you accept the invitation to come to Hogwarts?" he asked most politely.

"I want to know more about my parents," she said but gave up when he shook his head and told her now was not the time.

"If I do, accept your invitation, then what happens?" she asked.

"Well, you will learn more about your parents and you will get a chance to learn about your history and your unique magic."

"Unique magic? What does that mean?"

"It is for a different time. For now all you need to do is be ready with all your clothes and personal items you wish to take to the school and wait for a professor to come and take you to buy books and supplies later on in the month."

"Wait, I didn't say I accepted."

"Well, now would be a good time to," he said eyes sparkling.

"Alright, I accept," she said relenting to his clever, but annoying manners.

"I shall see you soon and don't blame your parents for this. They didn't know this would happen. They are very nice caring people."

"I won't blame them, but I will be mad at them," she said and folded her arms accross her chest.

"You are so very like your father," he said before turning and disappearing.

Serena turned to look for her parents. She still wasn't satisfied with the answers she had recieved.

**Two Weeks Later**

Severus P.O.V

Severus Snape apparated behind a grocery store and started walking to the address Dumbledore had scribbled on the parchment. He looked around and instantly felt out of wack. Everyone was either wearing really tight jeans or shorts. Did everyone in America dress like this? Apparently not, because a couple of teenagers walked by with their pants pulled up to their knees, no higher. He was wearing a pair of muggle jeans and a button down shirt with his hair brushed into a neat pony at the nape of his neck. He definitely did not fit in. Not to mention the fact that he barely ever wore his hair in a pony tail and it made him feel weird wherever he was.

He only had a two block walk and he was 20 minutes early, so he took a detour, passing street after street and looking in store windows until he found a book store. It was little and lonely on the corner next to the bustling Pizza Hut. He entered and a bell rang alerting the manager and the only other living thing in the store to his presence.

" May I help you, sir?" asked the bookshop owner in a heavy American accent which Severus was not used to. He looked up at the manager. He was an old balding man. To Severus, he looked like a cross between Mr. Ollivander and Siybil Trelaweny.

"No, I'm fine," he replied, moving his way away from the door and into the less traveled, even less traveled than the other dusty bookshelves, side of the shop.

"Oh, are you from England? May I ask which part of England?" asked the shop keeper after noticing his accent and angering and even more irate Snape.

"London," he replied and grabbed three books of the nearest shelf, "I'll take these three."

"Aww, let's see which ones you picked," started the old man, looking at each book and reading of the title, " Les Miserables, a very interesting and inspiring novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, an interesting choice giving insight into the minds of men and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a classic. Very interesting choice Mr. umm."

"Snape," provided the Professor whose patience was running thin.

"Snape. Wonderful. That will be $45.75, " said the man, looking at Snape expectantly. Severus pulled out a $100 bill Dumbledore had given him and handed it to the man. His eyes grew wide and his chin hit the floor.

"Uh, we don't..." he started, but was cut off when Snape said, "Keep the change," and walked out of the store without another word.

By now, it was 5 minutes until he had to be at the girls house so he started backtracking till he found the street.

The house was a small two story house with a flower bed nest to the door. It reminded him of Lily's house. No, he couldn't think of her. She was gone and she was not coming back. Thinking of her would only bring him pain.

He knocked on the door and it was immediately answered by a teary eyed woman and her husband.

"Oh, you must be Professor Snape," said the woman trying to wipe her tears away without him noticing too much, "Professor Dumbledore said you would be here to pick up Serena and take her to a place to buy her supplies and then off to school." She looked like she was trying to smile, but he could tell this was tearing her apart. At that moment, he wished he had had a mother who cared that much, but she was too busy being afraid of Tobias to think about him.

Just then, a girl came through the door, stared hatefully at the couple in front of them, and began walking down the street away from the house.

Severus was as surprised as ever to see this girl have a look of pure hatred on her face. He followed her and instantly her gaze softened and she began asking questions that annoyed the crap out of him. The mood change, however, puzzled him. He knew it must have to do with something her parents did, but something incredibly horrible for that look to cross her features. He knew the level of hatred those eyes could produce and that, right there, was the worst.

" Professor, what do you teach?"

"Potions."

"Wow, what kinds of potions?"

"Many kinds."

"Which one is you favorite?"

After five minutes of unstoppable questions, they reached the portkey. It was an old tin can and immediately Severus reached down and grabbed it.

"Grab it," he said shortly to Serena.

"Um, grab the can?" she asked confused.

"Yes, grab it and hold on."

"O.K" she said and bent down to grab it, but hesitated. Severus let out an exasperated sigh and then saw the can begin to glow.

"Serena, grab it now!" he shouted at her. She reached out and they disappeared.

**So? What do you think? Please Review and tell me what you did or didn't like. I want to know. I hope that you like it. If you don't, please tell me what I could change or make better! Please!**


	3. Diagon Alley and New Friends

**Hey, so here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. **

**Everything belongs to J.. I don't own anything, except Serena. Anything in this story about Mr or Mrs. Weasley came straight out of the book. I did not write that. J.K. Rowling did.**

**Thank you for those of you that reviewed on the first two chapters. What you said gave me some ideas for later on. If you didn't review, feel free to do so.**

**Now on to the story.**

Serena P.O.V.

Exactly when she touched the tin can, she felt like she was being magnetically pulled toward to the tin and like a giant hook was pulling her forward. She could distantly feel the presence of Professor Snape. Just when she thought she could bear it no more her feet slammed onto the floor and she fell over.

She stood up, brushed the dirt off her clothes and bent down to retrieve her trunk, which had fallen open and her mother's scrapbook lay open on the sidewalk. She ran over to get it, hoping that it was unscathed. It was fine and she let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

As she was returning to her trunk, the bag Professor Snape had been holding, which she hadn't realized until now, broke. Out tumbled three books. He swooped down to grab them, but she got their first. She looked at the book on top. Emblazoned on the cover, was the silver title The Portrait of Dorian Gray.

"Good book," she said handing it back to him along with the other two, " It really shows how a man can get sucked into the devils plan, yet repent and let his soul be saved. It is quite clever actually. Like man, but more intense."

At first, the Professor didn't say anything, but then he sneered a "shut up" before snatching the books back.

Serena then bent down to pick up her trunk.

"Get up, girl. We have a schedule," said Professor Snape, with a sneer that made her blood chill.

"Okay," she said standing up a little taller. She was not going to let him bully her.

"You will refer to me as sir or Professor. We are not friends," He said staring down his abnormally large nose at her.

"Yes, but I thought you liked me," she said, as his eyebrows raised. She quickly added a "sir" to cover her rudeness. He ignored her and started heading out of what she realized was an alley and into the busy street. Immediately, she realized the different things from Britain to America. Things were so different, yet so the same. She liked the change. It was like an adventure.

Professor Snape then turned and entered an old run down looking bar. Above the door, were the words _Leaky Cauldron. _Inside was no better than the outside. The walls were gray and it looked kind of gloomy, but the people in it were not. She could see a couple of witches talking in the corner about the "new price of lacewing flies". Some of the elderly wizards were talking about the "uncertainty of their families safety with that Sirius Black on the loose". She wondered who this dangerous Sirius Black guy was, but she didn't have time to dwell on it.

Professor Snape finally stopped in front of the most extraordinarily big man she had ever seen. He had a chubby face with rosy cheeks. He looked quite happy, not matter what kind of a horrid face Professor Snape was giving him.

"Hello Hagrid, this is Serena," said Snape with utter boredom dripping from his voice.

"Hello, Serena. My name is Rubeus Hagrid," he said with an odd accent. She decided that she liked him.

"Hello, Hagrid. It's nice to meet you," she said.

" Thank yeh," he said, before turning serious," Now yeh got yer book list, then lets be off."

She was so excited, she almost forgot about her trunk.

"Umm, Hagrid," she faltered," What about my trunk?" She gazed up at him waiting for an answer.

"Well, we'll just take that up ter yer room. I'll wait fer yeh down here," he said," Oh and here's yer room number and key."

She took them and went off to find her room. She walked down deserted halls and down the wrong flight of stairs until she found hers. When she looked inside, she found that it was very plain. It had gray walls and gray floors. In fact, the only thing that was not gray was the blanket, which was a sickly brown color.

She quickly put her trunk by the bed and ran out the door with her wallet ready to shop in the Wizarding World. She again tried to navigate the maze of hallways and stairs, but this time it was easier. Pretty soon, she was back where she had started.

"Alright then, yer ready ter go," said Hagrid, making an awful crunching noise as he pushed the chair out to stand up.

"Yup," she said and they were on their way.

Severus P.O.V.

Great, she was back with Hagrid. Now he could go find his room. It took him no time. He knew this pub. He had come here several times with Her. He couldn't understand why she did it. Why she had chosen him over James, but he was proud of it, then. Now it was killing him inside. One piece at a time because in the end she had run back to James.

He fell on the bleak, creaky bed and summoned about ten bottles of fire whiskey. He didn't want to think. It was too painful. He took his first drink. It burned as it went down his throat, but he didn't care.

Serena P.O.V.

Hagrid led her out into a closed courtyard. In front of them was an old trash can and a brick wall.

"Umm, Hagrid, how are we supposed to get my school supplies in a closed courtyard?" asked Serena looking around her for some sort of opening, but she didn't see any.

In response to her question, Hagrid pulled out a pink umbrella and tapped the brick three up and two across. Almost immediately, the bricks melted away to form an archway. She almost screamed in delight. There were dozens upon dozens of magic shops. She stepped through the arch and gazed down at her list wondering what to buy first.

Hagrid, noticing that she was staring at her list, said," Don' worry about that yet. We got ter get yer money from Gringotts firs'."

"Wait, Hagrid. What do you mean by get my money?" said Serena looking inquisitively up at Hagrid.

"Well you got ter go ter Gringotts ter get that money changed in ter Wizarding money and yer mother left yer some money as well."

"Wow, I have Wizarding money!" she said eyes sparkling.

By now, they had reached Gringotts. It was huge, white and absolutely breathtaking. They passed two interesting creatures on the way in, which she later learned were goblins Goblins!

She followed Hagrid inside and tried to take in everything she was seeing. There were goblins everywhere. Some where weighing odd gold coins and others were examining rubies. Some were walking around helping different people. It looked like a regular bank, but instead of people there were goblins.

Hagrid went up to the closest counter.

"Yes?" asked the goblin peering down at them.

"Miss Serena Evans wishes to enter her vault," said Hagrid. Serena wanted to interrupt and say that her last name wasn't Evans, it was Weber, but it looked like Hagrid knew what he was doing.

"Does Miss Evans have her key?" the goblin asked wrapping his long finger nails over the edge of the desk.

"Yes, she does," said Hagrid handing the goblin an ancient looking key.

"Very well," replied the goblin.

Serena lost track of how many times they turned or entered weird tunnels. She had her hands in the air and was screaming. One thing about Serena was that she loved roller coasters. Most of the time she was quite, so most people didn't know this about her. She started laughing as she looked over at a green faced Hagrid.

Too soon for Serena, the cart ride was over. The goblin driving the cart stuck the key in the door and opened it. Serena heard herself gasp. There were mounds upon mounds of gold, silver and bronze coins. It was amazing.

Hagrid handed her a bag and she loaded it up with as many of the coins as would fit. After another amazing, magnificent, awesome cart ride, they were ready to get shopping.

"Umm Hagrid, do you need to sit down?" asked Serena half laughing as he stumbled across the cobbled street.

"Ya, that would be great," said Hagrid sitting on and breaking the nearest bench.

"Umm, I guess I'll just go get my wand," suggested Serena and with permission from Hagrid, she was off. However, she didn't make it four feet until she bumped into a boy. They both fell over and she immediately tried to get up, while muttering her apologies

Harry P.O.V.

He was walking out of Madam Malkin's when, someone ran into him. They both fell down and he heard someone muttereing apologies repeatedly. He realized it was a black haired girl, so he got up fast and helped her back up.

"Sorry," she said again, but Harry waved it off.

"No, it's fine. Hey, do you go to Hogwarts?" he asked. He had never seen her before. As she moved her hair from her face, he gasped. He heard her gasp too. They had the same eyes. They were identical.

"Who are you?" they asked at the same time.

"Oh,I..."

"You first"

"OK..."

Harry, who was done with all the weirdness, said," I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He was amazed when her eyes didn't dart to his forehead. It felt nice to know someone who didn't want to see his scar. It was refreshing, like a glass of lemonade.

"I'm Serena. Serena Weber," she replied and he realized she wasn't from England.

"Is that an American accent?" he asked.

"Ya," she said looking down.

"So, do you go to Hogwarts?" he asked a second time.

"Ya," she replied.

"So, why is this the first time I am seeing you?" he asked. He could tell she looked uncomfortable.

"It's a long story," she said again dropping her head.

"Well, I got time. Why don't you tell me and I'm assuming you're still school shopping," when she nodded, he continued," then you can tell me while we shop."

They did all her shopping while she explained that since she was in America it took them longer to track her magic and that she was adopted and how Professor Snape brought her here. When Harry said he was sorry that the first teacher she met was Snape and not all of them were like that, she told him that she didn't think he was that bad. Sure he was short-tempered and creepy, but she thought he was relatively nice. Harry then explained Quidditch and, when a witch came up to shake his hand, about his fame and why he had it. Then they resorted to talking about random nonsense. Harry had never met anyone quite like her. He felt like he knew her.

They were just finishing talking about the stupidity of invisible books, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Harry!HARRY!"

There sat Ron and Hermione right outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Harry started walking towards them and he motioned for Serena to follow.

"Finally," said Ron, " We were looking every where for you."

"Harry, did you really blow up your Aunt?" asked Hermione in a very serious voice.

"Wait, you blew up your Aunt. Nice going," said Serena starting to clap and Harry burst out laughing.

"Uhh, who are you?" asked Ron.

"Ronald, don't be rude," said Hermione.

"It's totally OK, I'm Serena," replied Serena trying to keep from laughing at Ron being scolded by Hermione.

"Oh, are you American?" asked Hermione.

"Yep," replied Serena smiling.

Harry felt bad for Serena as she was assaulted by questions from Hermione about odd American stereotypes. He was relieved, though, that she was getting along with his two best friends.

Serena P.O.V.

She couldn't believe all she had seen. They had explored the Apothecary, gotten new robes at Madame Malkin's and were now buying her spell books at Flourish and Blott's.

She was currently looking at an interesting course book titled Unfogging the Future. She took it off the shelf and opened it.

_Those who are Seers often show signs of this magic in their early years. Examples could be a child's dream coming true or hearing words before they are spoken. These slight little things can blossom into this amazing unique form of magic ar just coincidental. It is best to watch the child over time..._

She kept reading, her mind working a thousand miles per minute. Dumbledore had said something about unique magic. Was this what he was talking about? The questions kept coming and memories of walking to the phone before it ringed or telling her mother when her dad would get home from work. She even remembered a time when she was very little when she had had a nightmare about a girl dying in a car accident. The next day it happened.

Harry P.O.V.

He raced over to where Hermione and Ron were when he saw Serena begin to read. Pulling them behind a bookshelf, he motioned for them to be quiet.

"Harry, what the bloody hell is going on?" Ron whispered rather loudly.

"Listen guys, I don't know about you, but I don't trust Serena. She shows up out of nowhere with my eyes and acts like she's from America."

"Harry," said Hermione," I think you are just overreacting. She seems perfectly fine."

Instantly, Harry regretted telling them. He should have known they wouldn't listen.

"Nevermind," he said," Forget it,"

The rest of the day they all hung out and laughed. Serena was staying at the Leaky Cauldron, as well as Hermione and the rest of the Weasley family. They had met up with Hagrid, who Serena had totally forgot she was supposed to meet, and had to reassure him that Serena was fine. Altogether, this was one of the best days Harry had ever had. He was upset when it had to end.

He was heading down to grab Ron's rat tonic, which he left at the bar, when he bumped into Serena for the second time that day.

"We really need to stop doing that," said Serena. He just laughed.

"So what are you doing up?" asked Serena.

"Ron left his rat tonic at the bar," he replied.

"I'll go with you," she said and he faked a laugh.

When they got closer to the bar, they heard shouting and Harry realized it was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He was about to tell Serena they should leave when he heard his name. He turned to her and realized by her face that she had heard it too.

"- makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and-"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"

" I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves – they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."

" But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point."

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer to catching Black that inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after-"

"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

" We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry."

There was a loud thud on wood. Harry turned to Serena and her face had a look of sheer panic. He was almost tempted to laugh because she looked so worried. He realized that she wasn't used to being threatened by a new and even more gruesome death every year than the year before it.

He ushered for Serena to move as he realized that they weren't yelling any more. They climbed behind the bar and out of sight. When the last of the retreating footsteps was silenced, they crawled out a grabbed their stuff.

Serena P.O.V

They both heard a crash and Harry ran forward to see what it was. She decided she didn't want to be alone with odd things going on, so she followed him. Out in the hall stood Professor Snape. He looked like he was trying to open the door, but couldn't figure it out. He wreaked of alcohol. Just as she took one step forward, he passed out and hit the floor with a thud.

"Harry," she said running toward her unconscious professor, "Help me get him in his room."

"What?" he almost shouted, "Can't we just leave him here?"

"No," she replied, " He could do something stupid and get really hurt."

"Fine," said Harry as he ran over to help.

It took them a while to get him into his room and onto the bed, but eventually they got it. Serena then looked around his room.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Harry

"We stay here," said Serena.

"No way," said Harry.

"Well, you don't have to stay, but I am," she said not willing to give into Harry and knowing he wouldn't leave her here alone.

She continued looking around the room until she found The Portrait of Dorian Gray sitting on the desk. She picked it up and sat down to read it aloud to her currently unaware Professor.

_The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn._

_From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flamelike as theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness and motion. The sullen murmur of the bees shouldering their way through the long unmown grass, or circling with monotonous insistence round the dusty gilt horns of the straggling woodbine, seemed to make the stillness more oppressive. The dim roar of London was like the bourdon note of a distant organ._

_In the centre of the room, clamped to an upright easel, stood the full-length portrait of a young man of extraordinary personal beauty, and in front of it, some little distance away, was sitting the artist himself, Basil Hallward, whose sudden disappearance some years ago caused, at the time, such public excitement and gave rise to so many strange conjectures._

_As the painter looked at the gracious and comely form he had so skilfully mirrored in his art, a smile of pleasure passed across his face, and seemed about to linger there. But he suddenly started up, and closing his eyes, placed his fingers upon the lids, as though he sought to imprison within his brain some curious dream from which he feared he might awake._

_"It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done," said Lord Henry languidly. "You must certainly send it next year to the Grosvenor. The Academy is too large and too vulgar. Whenever I have gone there, there have been either so many people that I have not been able to see the pictures, which was dreadful, or so many pictures that I have not been able to see the people, which was worse. The Grosvenor is really the only place."_

She didn't get very far until she dozed off in the chair she was sitting in.

**Please Review! I want to know if I am doing good or if I am totally failing, so please review.**


	4. Dementors

Harry P.O.V.

Serena had just dozed off, but he was nowhere near sleepy. This girl puzzled him. He just didn't know what to think of her. All day he had listened intently for a scrap of information about her parents like their names or who they could have been, but he didn't hear anything. He was done pretending he was fine with her. He didn't trust her. She had his eyes, his mother's eyes! Who in the heck was she? He was going to find out and now was the perfect time.

He stood up and quietly, so as to not wake her up, walked to where she had fallen asleep. In her hands she still held The Portrait of Dorian Gray. She had read only the first page before dozing off. She showed so much love and compassion to Snape. She had laid him on his bed gently and even pulled a blanket over him. He didn't understand her. It was kind of funny though to see Snape being tucked in.

He quietly tip toed over to her and she woke up. Dang it, he thought.

"Hey Harry," she whispered as she stood up, "Let's get out of here before he wakes up."

Quickly Harry agreed and they both went their seprate ways to bed.

Serena P.O.V.

She woke up the next morning to the quiet light of the dawn. She had always been an early waker, so this was absolutely normal. She walked over to her trunk and double checked that everything was there and then walked downstairs to get some breakfast. Occaisionally, a Weasley would come down for breakfast and the morning quickly turned hectic.

"Fred, George, are your trunks ready to go?" shouted Mrs. Weasley up the stairs.

"Ya, Mom," replied the twins at precisely the same time.

The morning continued with Mrs. Weasley making sure everyone was ready and Mr. Weasley continually checking the door for the Ministry cars that would be taking all of them to King's Cross Station. Serena was expecting at least fifteen cars to show up, but there were only two. She wanted to say something along the lines that there was no way they could all fit in those two, very small cars, but she held her tongue as Mr Weasley herded everyone inside. Harry went in first followed by her, Hermione, Ron, and to the utter disgust of Ron, Percy. As she sat down, she realized that none of them were squished and thatc the back of the car was really bigger than it looked.

"It must be an Undetectable Extension Charm," whispered Hermione to her. Serena had only known her for a few days, but they were already best friends. Both had a thirst for knowledge. Serena had already read two of her textbooks that she had gotten yesterday.

"Ya, it must," she whispered back, not wanting to disturb the serious looking wizard driving the car. He had a rather stern look on his face and he sat regally, almost as if he was above everyone else, yet not.

The car ride was pretty quite. No one had much to say so the minutes passed on with utter silence. When they finally reached King's Cross Station, they were hurried out onto the sidewalk. they walked a while before they reached Platform 9.

"Ummm, where is platform 9 3/4?" she asked looking on in awe as Fred and George ran straight through the barrier between platform 9 and 10.

"Oh, I see," she said much to the amusement of Ron and Harry at her enlightened face.

"Alright, Serena, you next," said Mrs. Weasley," If your nervous, take it at a run."

Mrs. Weasley patted her back and she ran straight into the wall, but instead of crashing, she sailed right through. She opened her eyes, which she now realized she had closed, and smiled at the scene in front of her. A scarlet steam engine blew steam and whistled while hundreds of children said good-bye to parents and loaded their things.

When the rest of the Weasleys had gone through the barrier, they all loaded their things and went in search of a compartment. Fred and George went off with their friend Lee Jordan and Ginny went off with a pretty blond girl, whose name she couldn't remember. That left her, Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Finding no where, they settled in a compartment with, what was most likely a new teacher, a man by the name of Professor R. J. Lupin.

Just then, Harry asked her if she could go find Ginny. Reluctantly, she agreed. Slipping from the compartment, she had only walked two feet before someone ran into her.

He stood up and as soon as she saw his pale face and blond hair, she saw, almost a vision, of an older him looking at her, with desperation? Maybe it was pain. She couldn't tell. Just as soon as she saw it, it was gone.

"Watch where you're going," he sneered and she took an instant dislike to him.

"If I recall, you ran into me," she replied smoothly, with skill.

"What house are you in?" he asked with a little less sneer, but it was still apparent.

"I don't know," she replied, as if that were completely normal.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked this time with a look of utter astonishment. She knew he thought she was stupid.

" I haven't been sorted yet. I am just starting this year." Her voice was strong and silky as if snake were traveling through it. He seemed to smile just a little at that.

"Well, you must be in Slytherin. You have the cunning of one. I can already see that," he said with a smirk passing over his features,"What family are you from?"

"What does it matter?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"What? It's everything. If your not pureblood, you don't belong at this school."

"Says you, now if you'll excuse me. I have somewhere to be."

The boy just stared after her, but she didn't get far when the whole train lurched. This time she did fall into the boy.

"What was that," he whispered with so much fear in his voice she had to restrain herself from laughing. The lights then went off and both of them were still sitting on the floor. Suddenly, a chill came upon her and she couldn't remember anything cheerful. In the distance, she could see two cloaked figures. They came steadily closer and closer. Soon they were so close that she could see that they were floating and didn't have feet. There were two of them. One of them floated deathly slow towards her while the other went into the compartment that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were in. The other lingered over her. A slow rattling noise was heard and she felt a new burn of ice within her. she tried to huddle up close to herself to stay warm, but the frost was coming from inside her. It burned so intensly she couldn't help it. She let out a groan of sheer pain.

_"Go! Run! They're coming," screamed a man._ The cold grew worse and just as she thought she would fall into oblivion a light came from beside her and the creature was thrown away from her.

"Are you alright," asked a gruff voice. She looked up and saw the Professor that had been sleeping in their compartment. He held what looked like flames in his hands.

"Come on into the compartment and we will get you feeling better soon," he said extending his nhand," You too, Mr. Malfoy." The blondie just sat on the floor and whimpered. There were obvious tear stains on his face.

The rest of the train ride went fine. Professor Lupin gave everyone chocolate and everyone just talked. Malfoy left as soon as he could and everyone had a good laugh at his expense. Serena couldn't wait for Hogwarts, though.


	5. Trouble in the Great Hall

Severus P.O.V.

He could feel the pain in his head before his eyes had the strength to open. The pounding made it hard to see or hear straight. He couldn't remember who or where he was and every time he even tried to think the pain in his temples intensified. Slowly, he tried to stand or even sit up, but he fell right back over. When he hit the bed, he felt a smooth object pushing up against him. Finding his pocket, he reached inside and grabbed a small vial. Inside was a deep violet liquid. His fingers fumbled with the cork for a few minutes before he popped it off and drank every last drop of the vile liquid.

Instantly, his head stopped pounding and his eyes weren't blurry. He blinked a few times and looked around the room. There was nothing on the floor except for a few empty bottles of fire whiskey and a book that looked as if it had fallen off the desk. He picked it up and read the first page. Recognition almost knocked him over. He remembered a voice. A girl's voice reading him these exact words. He instantly thought of Lily. Bet that couldn't be, could it. She was dead. Gone and she was never coming back. He must have been dreaming.

Slowly, he picked everything off the floor and packed his small bag with the books he had bought and walked toward the mirror. He looked dreadful and he knew it. His eyes looked sunken in and his face even more pale than usual. His hair fell over his face and blocked his eyes from view. His clothes were wrinkled from sleeping in them the night before and his face was set in a permanent frown.

Dropping his bag, he sat down in the chair behind him and ran a hand through his hair. Lily was haunting him worse this year than any previous ones. He saw her everywhere. He thought he had heard her talking or laughing, but he hadn't. It hurt him. It hurt more than anything.

He wasn't ready to return to Hogwarts. There, he had to bottle everything up and hide it, like he did wherever he went. When She was alive, he could vent everything to her. He didn't have to hide. He could be himself, but that turned out to be a lie to. She left him like she promised not to do.

Turning to the clock, he mentally swore. He had to be to the feast in less than ten minutes. Grabbing his bag, he turned on the spot and apparated to Hogsmead.

Serena P.O.V.

The train lurched to a stop and Serena followed Harry, Ron and Hermione out onto the platform.

The steam from the scarlet engine covered the platform, giving it a mystical look. She found herself trying to take in anything and everything she could. The lake next to them and the carriages pulled by odd-looking horse things.

"Serena. Helloooo. Serena," said Ron waving a hand in front of her face. She shook out of her trance and smiled at him.

"What?" she asked.

"Dumbledore is motioning for you," he said pointing to the Professor who first told her she was a witch. He stood there with his long, silver beard, twinkling eyes, and a smile plastered securely on his face. Thanking Ron, who was still a little pale from the attack, she walked over to the Headmaster.

"Hello Serena," he said and smiled even wider, if that was even possible, " You will be coming with me to get you sorted before the first years come in for their sorting."

"Alright," she said. She was beginning to feel nervous. "Professor, will I be sorted in front of every body?" she asked timidly.

"Yes," was his response as he began walking away from the platform. Serena followed him through trees and around corners until she got her first glimpse of the castle. It was simply magnificent. It stood on a cliff overlooking a lake. It wasn't like the beach she had pictured, but it was good enough. The castle was not at all like she had imagined. It looked like it cam right out of her Medieval Times History textbook. She looked through the windows at the mass of student from other grades entering the main room. They finally reached the door and Dumbledore motioned for her to go inside.

She felt all the eyes turn to her and stare. She looked to the ground as she walked up to a stool with a hat on it. Harry had told her all about the Sorting Hat and each house, so she new what was coming. Still, she was nervous as heck and it got even worse as she stared at her shoes and felt her cheeks go red. One eternity later, she reached the stool and Dumbledore lifted the hat up so she could sit. He set it carefully on her head, but nothing happened. She was worried that perhaps Dumbledore was mistaken. Maybe she wasn't a witch at all. These thoughts filled her mind until she heard a small voice that she was sure only she could hear.

"Well, this is unexpected," it said," You could make a good Gryffindor, but an even better Slytherin.'

No, she thought, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would hate her if she was a Slytherin. Reading her mind the voice said," I guess you'll just have to deal with that,"

I can't, she thought more fervently.

She heard the word out loud, but didn't believe her ears. The Hat couldn't do this to her. Stumbling away from the Hat, the stool, and the Gryffindor table, she walked over to the silent Slytherins.

Dumbledore stood up to a podium she hadn't realized was there. He began talking and everyone was listening, except for two fat Slytherins and a pale blond one. They were acting like they were above Dumbledore and everyone else and it annoyed her.

She didn't hear what Dumbledore was saying because at that exact moment she heard the pale blonde one say," Ya, she is probably a half-blood. It's not as bad as Mud blood Granger though."

She felt the the anger rushing through her veins. She didn't know why she did it, but she did.

Harry P.O.V.

He was listening intently to Dumbledore, yet he wasn't. He knew he shouldn't of trusted her. She was a freakin' Slytherin after all. Hermione and Ron had to believe him now. On the other side of him he heard Malfoy," Is it true, Potter. You fainted. I mean you actually fainted."

Just then the Hall went silent and a girl was staring daggers and whispering spears at Malfoy," Shut up! Just shut up!"

It was coming from farther up the Slytherin table, so he, along with all the other students, stared at that side of the enormous candle lit hall.

"O look," sneered Malfoy at Serena, "The new girl's trying to defend little potty-wotty."

"Two things," she said maliciously,"One, you are the one acting like a baby, so calling him potty-wotty doesn't help your case at all." Several people sniggered at this, but she kept going.

"Two, bringing attention to yourself was not a good idea because your the one that didn't actually get attacked, but cried your eyes raw and almost wet yourself."

He leaned closer, ready to send back a comeback, and Serena just stared daggers at him. Before anyone knew what had happened Serena was racing out of the hall and Malfoy was on the floor with a bloody nose. All the students, except for Slytherin of course, were laughing and cheering at the vulnerable looking Malfoy.

Dumbledore, though, wouldn't tolerate it. He silenced everybody with almost no difficulty and Malfoy was whisked away by Madam Pomfrey. Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione, who were still giggling about Malfoy's predicament.

Of course, after that Ron, Hermione and he couldn't stop laughing. They could hardly see straight walking back to the common room after the feast. Ron kept impersonating Malfoy.

"My father will hear about this," he kept saying in a high-pitched, snotty voice.

Even after the most amazing night he had ever had, he still didn't trust her. She was a Slytherin, after all, but she had hit Malfoy and defended him. Oh, she was so confusing.

**I am so sorry it took so long to update and that the chapter is so short. I've had a busy week and weekend. The next chapter will be longer. I promise. **

**Please Review!**


	6. Abuse and Determination

** Thanks for staying with this story through all the changes. That won't happen again, I hope. Remember, this is my first fanfic. Please review and give me any ideas you have about where you want the story to go. Thanks again. Now on to the story.**

Serena P.O.V.

She ran down endless corridors and through classrooms. She hated people like that Malfoy kid. She hated people who thought they were better than you because they had fame or money. Finally, out of breath, she sat down on a bench just outside an empty classroom.

_ "Ohhh look if it isn't the one and only, bookworm," said a tall blond girl, spitting out the last word as if it were poison. She looked down at Serena with a look of superiority in her eyes._

_ "What do you want?" asked Serena quietly looking up from her book, The Picture of Dorian Gray.  She hated this girl with everything she had. Ever since the 3rd grade, she had watched her let the world know her mom was famous and rich. No one challenged her, except Serena. Ultimately, she paid the price. There were new insults everyday and something really bad happened to her at least once a week._

_ "To ask you if you're going to be at Christine's Birthday party on Saturday," she asked innocently, but Serena knew she knew that she wasn't invited._

_ "Obviously, not," spat Serena looking up at the overly glamourized girl. _

_ "Well, you should really go. Everyone is going to be there!" she said like everyone really was going to be there, but Serena happened to know about 50 kids who had not been invited just for the fact that they didn't have enough money or their families didn't work for the rich kid parents. _

_ "Oh look there is my mom," the tall girl said, pointing at a nice looking Porsche coming to the school parking lot. Serena didn't bother to look, she just kept reading her favorite book. The Porsche pulled up and a wave of mud washed over Serena and her book._

She stopped thinking, so she could wipe a tear from her eye.

Severus P.O.V.

He watched from the shadows as she lost herself in her mind. Suddenly a tear escaped her eyes and she was shaken from her thoughts to wipe it away. He chose this moment to make himself known.

"Miss Evans, may I ask why you are sitting alone in a corridor crying after punching, a now very confused, Mr. Malfoy?" he drawled never looking away from her puffy, red eyes.

"Nothing, no reason," she said turning away from him. He didn't know why, but he felt genuinely worried about this girl.

"As your Head of House, I am required to know these things," he said staring down his nose at her.

"When I chose to come here for school, I vowed that I would not be the bullied girl anymore," she said looking up at the ceiling, seemingly lost in memories. Her sentence struck him with memories himself. Memories of James Potter's mocking face and jeering voice filled with arrogance and superiority. In that instance, a pang of jealousy filled him as he realized that she had made up her mind to defend herself. She was going to do it no matter what happened. He was to much of a coward to take that chance when he had the choice. He was considering sitting down to comfort her, but appearances must be kept.

"Well, that is quite lovely," he spat and then abrupt turned and started walking the other way, sneering over his shoulder as he went, "follow me to your common room."

He walked for awhile, towards the dungeons, before he heard Serena's feet tapping the floor lightly behind him as she walked.

A few minutes passed before he was standing in front of a snake engraved door.

"Parslemouth," he said, as he ushered Serena into the door before turning on the spot and walking away.

Serena P.O.V

Professor Snape instantly left and the familiar cold feeling of loneliness settled into the hollow pit of emptiness in her stomach. No one was there due to the continuing of the feast. She walked over to the black couch, sat down, and lost her self in the beauty of the swirling green flames. How long did she sit there? She wasn't sure, but it seemed in no time at all students were slithering in a few at a time. Whenever they saw her, their laughs would stop and they would shoot daggers through stares. It slightly unnerved her, but she decided to ignore it and continuing staring into the flames.

Just as they had trickled in, they slowly went to their bedrooms. Eventually the only noise in the common room was that of the crackling fire and the slow controlled breathing coming from herself. This was going to be a long year. She knew it. Already isolated and alone, she felt so angered. She had already blown her chance to be a normal kid. A kid that fit in. Sometimes she simply hated her flaring temper. None of her parents had it, but then again they weren't really her parents. She didn't know her parents. Perhaps one of them had struggled with a temper as a kid, like her.

She was interrupted from her musings when once again the common room door was opened. To her surprise and pain, in walked the blond boy, or as Snape called him, Mr. Malfoy, and his father, or so it looked like. They both had the blond, almost white, hair with pale pointed faces and an air of bossy power. She turned her attention away from them and continued the blank stare she had been pursuing all night. However, she was not allowed to stay that way.

"That's her, father," said the boy, pointing straight at her. Already, she knew, this wasn't in any way going to be pleasant.

The man immediately stepped forward and stared incredulously at her.

"What is your name?" he asked in little more than a whisper. She raised her chin and stood up boldly.

"Serena. Serena …" she said and the faltered. She had a last name, but she wasn't sure what it was. She had been called both Weber and Evans. What was her last name? Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"Ahh the new student. Serena Evans," he whispered and then continued," May I ask what family you are from?"

"No, you can't ask," she said defiantly, standing taller. Something told her this man was not used to having his requests rejected. She was going to have fun. After all, what could he do to her?

"Why you little," he started, raising his hand above his head to strike, but was cut off.

"Lucius, there is no need. After all, Draco is fine. Let the Headmaster take care of it," a woman said. She had just walked through the door. Her long blonde hair flowed easily down her back and her manner was one of elegance.

Narcissa P.O.V.

She walked in just as Lucius was advancing on the girl, who didn't move, but stood her ground with a determined look in her eyes. She could only wish that one day she would wake up with that strength. She knew she liked that girl. She also knew she wanted what was best for her son and that was her. Draco needed someone to show him that he wasn't better than everyone and that blood status didn't matter. Of course, she would never tell anyone that herself, but she knew it was true. And, she didn't want Draco to become what Lucius is. This girl showed just the strength that Draco needed to see and be exposed to. He needed to have a real friend and something about the girl told her that she would be his friend no matter the insults he threw at her. She was strong. She was determined. She was everything that she, Narcissa, wasn't

"Girl," she said addressing the girl," Dumbledore wishes to see you."

""Narcissa, Dumbledore can wait," sneered Lucius, but she wasn't going to run this time. She would try to have strength, like her, for Draco.

"Lucius, darling, can we talk," she said motioning for him to follow her into a different room.

Serena P.O.V.

The two adults, Narcissa and Lucius, left the common room and she was left standing next to Draco. However, he immediately left as well, so she decided now would be a good time to go see Dumbledore.

Exiting the common room through the same door that the first two did, she walked peacefully through the corridors for a few minutes before realizing that she was lost. She vaguely wondered how many others had gotten themselves completely lost in this maze of a castle. Just then from a couple doors away she heard a piercing scream. Running to find the producer of such a blood chilling sound, she tripped, just by the door. It was a good thing she did because at that exact moment she heard a man's voice, which she recognized as Lucius'.

"Crucio! That will teach you not to disobey me!" he screamed. Serena couldn't just stand there and let this women get hurt. She slowly opened the door, just in time to see Lucius grab her by the hair and slap her before throwing her at the opposite wall. She crumpled to the floor in a heap. She began to take a step forward, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw the familiar face of Dumbledore looking forward gravely.

Lucius again raised his wand to strike her. Dumbledore chose this moment to make his presence known.

"That will be enough, Mr. Malfoy," commanded Dumbledore in a stern voice.

"She is my wife. I can do what I want with her." he said turning around. His normally straight hair was messy and wisps flew in front of his face. His teeth ground together and his face seemed fixed in a permanent snarl.

"Yes, under the law that is true. However," said Dumbledore continuing," Please try to refrain while in this school. Now I will ask that you leave."

Lucius hesitated for a moment, as if looking for a loophole, but finding none, and then left the room. This left Narcissa, still in a heap in the corner.

"Mrs. Malfoy, if you would like, you may head up to the Hospital Wing for a healing draught before you leave," said Dumbledore holding out a hand to the broken woman. She quickly took the hand, stood up, and left the room.

"Miss Evans would you mind coming with me," he said staring at her over his half-moon spectacles. She didn't say anything, but quickly followed him down the corridor.


End file.
